


New Direction to a Bitter End

by The_Huntresss (Dezzi_Lightfinger)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2013-08-13
Packaged: 2017-12-23 10:18:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dezzi_Lightfinger/pseuds/The_Huntresss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected occurrence causes innumerable changes at home. Sirius finds out how badly Harry's been neglected. What's in store when the Dursley's, Sirius Black and others team up to help Harry?!?!?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
He may have slacked off since getting to Hogwarts but he'd always been pretty good at teaching himself subjects so now it was time to apply himself again. He figured Ron knew what he was doing when he signed up for electives but the crap classes they were taking wouldn't help him much in the long run. One note from his Godfather telling him (and them) that he had to spend at least 4 hours daily at the library working on his independent but required studies got him out of the house and away from their abuse for the better part of each day. He was having to study all the culture books that Muggleborn usually got and all the books the purebloods raised their children on (light, dark, and neutral) as well as the two electives he didn't take at school. Sirius sent him a number of books that he should have read upon entering the Wizarding world from the Muggleborn perspective and those he should have read had he grown up with his parents or other wizarding guardians (like Sirius). Culture shock didn't even begin to describe what he'd gone through when he read them. Customs, Holidays, rituals, high tea, low tea so many different things including wardrobe to learn and bad habits to unlearn. His summer class load was heavier than his regular one but for some reason he was really enjoying the challenge.

He'd always thought Hermione was smart but for someone who could easily memorize books she couldn't seem to see past the covers and implement that which she'd read. You don't go to a foreign land and expect them to recognize your ways you adapt to theirs. she wasn't adapting and spent most of her time trying to force her muggle customs on everyone else. She certainly wouldn't be able to reach her goal of working in the Ministry with her attitude and he knew she'd read the introductory books or she wouldn't have done so well in using the quill or in potions, she just chose to ignore the lessons. Ron, poor Ron, 6th child of 7 he was spoiled and forgiven pretty much everything but still was jealous of everyone else. His folks raised him well he was taught all the pureblood culture lessons if they didn't follow them anymore. (he'd learned from Percy of all people that his parent gave each child the choice to give up the Holiday's and Rituals when they turned 11) As adults, the Weasley's didn't follow the Rituals and Holidays that the rest of the Wizarding world did but it was by their own choice, each of their child decided when they turned 11 if they would or wouldn't. Their parent's didn't take them to the groves but they could go on their own and lazy Ron turned his back on anything that required thought and effort. Hopefully he'd figure out before it was too late that he needed to apply himself to get those accolades he dreamed of.  
Now that he realized that neither of his friends were helping him fit in at all but were in fact using him to further their own personal agendas whatever they may encompass it was time to do what he should have done all along instead of just coasting by. 

He let his friendship with Ron take precedence over learning about the new world he found himself a part of. His new first friend liked to play (Something that he'd never been allowed to do) instead of doing homework and studying. Following his habits and letting Ron distract him well that had been a mistake, now he was having to make up for the difference himself on his own time. This provided him with a reason to be out of the house and away from the Dursleys so it wasn't a total bust.  
After he'd read the books that Sirius had provided on Culture the next lessons has been to teach himself everything he could about the other two electives offered at Hogwarts so that he could switch into them once classes started up again. Sirius was unyielding on this while Care of Magical Creatures was fun it wouldn't help him in the political arena or with defeating Voldemort and if you weren't a born seer taking divination was just stupid you couldn't learn to be a seer you had to be born with the talent. He'd ordered all the recommended books for Runes and Arithmancy but they'd be a week before they arrived so he was here in the Surrey Public Library looking up everything they had; surprisingly they had a good bit of information about Runes themselves (muggle perspective of course) and the general meanings behind each symbol and they had loads about the different mathematics.

His uncle seeing him with several textbooks on the different fors of math had demanded to know what he was up to. Harry being who he was and tired of well everything told him a bit of truth mixed up in a distraction. "Boy what is this nonsense about you needing to be at the library every day?"

Gritting his teeth and biting back the automatic response to being called Boy he answers in utmost politeness, "Uncle, my godfather found out that I wasn't properly introduced the uh... other world. He was rather put out about it too said it bad enough I was raised here not knowing about but to not even get properly introduced is actually a crime there. He created a lesson plan and I have to learn all this stuff, everything from customs and culture to the politics and how the government there runs. Then he found out about the electives I signed up for, that teeked him off even worse. Seems I was skipped for the mandatory career counseling and without that I have no idea of what career to plan for and without a career plan I had no idea of which electives to sign up for. Because of that I followed my friend's advise and choose the same things as him. Let's just say he's all kinds of ambitious but has no intention of doing anything that even remotely looks like work, so I have to go through 2 years worth of lessons for two classes so that i can get into the accelerated classes. That means a lot of studying, note taking, question asking. I have to go to the library because I don't currently have the books I need. He's ordered me copies and sent me those he had on hand but the rest I have to borrow. Luckily some things do have err... normal equivalent that I can find at the library. He said some Libraries even have a section for my people although he's not sure if the Surrey one does or not."

Vernon in surprise, "Your kind have a government?"

Nodding he looks seriously at his Uncle, "Their Government is kind of like the normal one but with a few differences for instance they have a House of Lords they call the Wizengamot that also has a few seats for the common and a few that are awarded for outstanding deeds to the state. My family apparently has a hereditary seat so I have to learn all about the politics and how it runs, who usually votes with who, and who has a mind of their own. I don't even know right now who has my family's vote, that's how badly they've kept information from me. Now the main face of the government is the Minister for Magic right now that Fudge but he's a complete idiot he sends more mail to the headmaster of my school for help in making decisions than parents do about their children. There are a bunch of departments under him with their own heads including their version of Police. He keeps undercutting their funding and wonders why they can't do anything right. I haven't found out about anything that resembles a military but they must have an equivalent. Uncle they don't even teach government in school, maths are an elective, no languages, the closest they've got to science are Potions which is kind of like chemistry and herbology which is close to botany and care of creatures which i guess is sort of zoology. Sirius even mentioned something about me learning French or German and then said maybe both I hope he was just kidding or waits till next summer, or lets me do it as an independent study during term that might work. They don't even have any arts classes or music. I really have to wonder about the quality of the education they offer at this school if it's really suppose to be the best in Britain. That's why I have to study so much and so hard all summer long though."

His mustache twitching as he thought then spoke, "Well boy we tried to tell you that world was messed up but even we didn't realize how bad it was. I really wish we'd succeeded in keeping you normal, then you wouldn't have to deal with those idiotic backwards freaks. You can't keep coming at everything from the back Boy you'll never be in a position to act, will always being playing catch-up. That may be what they want but Pet and I are your guardians of record and I'm not going to allow it. I'm going to put you in for correspondence classes to help catch you up so you can take GSCE's that way you'll get as good an education as we can provide considering your circumstances. You'll be able to get the start to the language you spoke of and good grounding in algebra and geometry possibly even trig if you do well. Government too and the sciences, literature which might be a soft option but in society it doesn't do to not speak well and know about great works it really helps you to not sound stupid when you talk to people who find those things important. You know we don't have to do this but I won't have it come back and us be blamed for you not being properly educated with you being listed as our ward in your world. it'd be just like them to blame us for you lacking well I won't have it! You are related to Petunia so it's on us now. I expect you to get good grades and to ask for help if you have any problems in your real world studies - Petunia and I both got top marks.

Stunned by what his Uncle had said he stammers out in shocked surprise, "Thank you Uncle. I promise I won't let you down, I'll work very hard. I never expected... but I'm very grateful for this opportunity.

Harry pulls the book across the table intent on finishing his sentence. He'd scoured the library for any books he could find on school related subjects even though it was a Muggle library. Arithmancy he knew was advanced mathematics so he'd pulled out all the basic text books he could find from algebra up through trigonometry. The course work his uncle had ordered for him had been approved and the books would soon be in. He was kind of excited about it too a directed study would be easier to follow and being accredited courses he had people he could ask questions of if he ran into trouble. The books Sirius had ordered should be in too around the same time, he was worried about not taking enough of it in to get the classes that Sirius really wanted him in. That created a feeling in his stomach that he really didn't know how to describe but it was very unpleasant. What would Sirius do if he failed?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Vernon's voice carried through the house as he called out, "Boy's come to the table family conference in 5 minutes!!"

Harry wasn't sure what to think! He'd never been included in family meetings before unless it was to put more limits on what he could do and to add more chores to his already too long list. Being called something besides Freak unnerved him... he just wasn't sure what to expect. Shaking his head slowly he couldn't see anything good coming from this. Putting a marker in his books and making a note of where he left off and what he'd been studying he straightened up his desk and headed for the kitchen.

After everyone was seated Vernon looking very uncomfortable starts, "I'm sure you all have noticed things are different around here now, what you don't know is why and that's what I'm going to explain now. Petunia and I decided to upgrade the sitting room while the two of you were off at school. We figured with you all out of the house it'd cause the least upheaval in everyone's daily routine. While the men were here changing out the carpet they moved the cases and something that was wedged up behind one of them fell and shattered. Neither of us recognized the statuette it wasn't very big and from what we could piece together of it well it was plain ugly, not something we'd have ever wanted in the house anyhow so we didn't get too upset with the workmen. We didn't notice anything strange right away and it didn't really dawn up for a couple of weeks then we talked and put the pieces together: after that thing was broken it was like a veil lifted or a haze."

Looking confused and somewhat sad Petunia states, "We didn't automatically blame you, Harry for every little thing that happened. We didn't get angry at the very mention of his existence. Your bad grades weren't his fault Dudley and honestly how could they ever have been? He's never even seen Smeltings. He can't do stuff here at the house or he could lose his place in that world."

Seeing Petunia tear up Vernon interjects, "I never took him to my office either so things that happened there that adversely affect me couldn't be his fault either. How can he from all the way wherever his school is cause a traffic cop to give me a ticket. HE couldn't. That's when we got to thinking, we're not bad people. We don't condone child abuse but we'd done bad things to him ever since he'd been left here and somehow didn't see it as being wrong because it was done to HIM. Dudley it was and will always be wrong to abuse others. Petunia started thinking about it before me but when she put all the pieces together all the changes started not long after that statue was broken."

Petunia states, "When I realized that I went to and got all the pieces of the horrid thing from the garage I remembered Lily telling me some things from when she was in school and one of them was that silk can block the effects of ma.. ma.. magic. So i went and got my Chinese silk shawl and wrapped the pieces of that thing up in it. touching the pieces of porcelain mad my skin crawl I just know there is something awful on them."

Vernon adds, "I remembered something from a movie on the tele we saw not too long ago about lead having the same affect so I went out to the machinist and had one made then we boxed up all the pieces of that thing inside it still wrapped in the silk. Harry I want you to get in touch with someone you trust absolutely and have them check out the pieces of this thing. Something caused us to hurt you and accept it as right. Something caused us to blame you for everything and nothing just so we could hurt you."

Harry thinking quickly through the information they just presented asks, "So you're saying that all the chores, the cupboard, the beatings were all because of that statue thing?"

Nodding emphatically Vernon states firmly, "Yes Harry. We, Petunia and I have reported other people for doing those things and others to the children in their care. It's one of the reasons Petunia watches the neighbors so carefully we've discovered many of them resort to physical abuse on their children and if not out-right physical abuse its mental. Either way it's wrong and it's something we've always felt strongly about. Petunia studied psychology in school among other things and she worked in social services helping children till Dudley came along."

Softly with a lone tear running down her cheek, "Whatever else that thing did, it changed who we really are with and made us like people we despise."

Looking directly at Harry meeting his eyes so he could judge her honesty himself, "We didn't ever really hate magic either Harry. When Lily first discovered what she was and what she could do I admit I was jealous. I didn't want to lose my sister to something that only belonged to a very limited number of people. The way they talked to us, and looked at us when we went to the shopping district, well I could tell they didn't want her to remain close to us. All their books talked about keeping everything a huge secret. They even wanted to put spells on us you know so that we couldn't even talk with her about it. I admit a threw a big stink about it. I wasn't about to let them steal my sister from me. They couldn't un-relate after all. Then.. well then we started looking through her books and there were potions and spells to do that very thing. Lily and I were horrified. She and I wanted to help both worlds but they wanted to denigrate us for not having magic and separate everyone with magic even from their own families if it looked like they were unwilling to let them go and become a fixture in that world. I checked your books you know to see if things had changed and while it's a lot more subtle it's still there. I just knew we were going to lose you too and there was nothing i could do about it because everything was your fault, being magical, being you.. Then that thing broke and I knew we were going to lose you! But it was because we were abusive and horrible to you and you had no idea why. We'd given you no reason to even want to send us a Christmas Card let alone be part of our lives. I... I told Vernon we wouldn't be able to adequately explain this but we had to try. We're going to do everything we can to help you Harry, no strings attached just please tell us what you need!"

Dudley who had remained quiet through everything starts, "That actually explains some of what happened to me once I was at Smeltings. That thing still affected me even there you know. I got bad grades but blamed "the Freak" for them. I was sent to counseling and blamed him for that too. I got detention all Harry's fault even though he wasn't there had never been there and didn't even know where it was. A few months ago everything changed, I woke up one morning and realized I was nothing but a grossly overweight bully who blamed all his inadequacies on others. I went to my councilor and asked for help. I ended up talking to who for a full day I told him everything in detail. He was ready to call the authorities on you both. He said that not only what you did to Harry was abuse but what you did to me too. By having Harry do my work, take my punishments you curtailed my education and made it impossible for me to relate to the real world. It wasn't till I explained that you'd gone off to your school that he eased up on getting the authorities involved and he told me even then he was breaking the law. He's required by law to report any child abuse he learns about but for me and this situation he bent it. He said if he found out about Harry being hurt, starved or anything bad he'd have us all in court faster than you could say football, I knew what we'd done to him growing up was wrong and I wanted to fix it but I didn't realize how horribly wrong it was till I started my new studys and did the community service he assigned. We discussed my own health and career options. I was put on a strict healthy diet with an exercise regime which includes boxing. I have anger management problems too which I see someone for, the boxing helps there too. I've also changed my major to one geared towards Government and Social Services. I've even done volunteer work at shelters near Smeltings for community service credit. The biggest problems I've encountered is actually doing the class work though. I have terrible study habits, a short attention span my councilor calls it Attention Deficit Disorder and it turns out I'm somewhat dyslexic too. All these things are obstacles I can overcome with a lot of hard work and help. I have tutors and tools to help with the dyslexia and I saw a physician at school and they prescribed some medication to help with the ADD, tutors have rounded it out I went from straight D's and failures to B's and C's. Everything that my friends and I did to you would be considered assault and would carry jail time if it had been reported, I have no apology that could even being to cover that but I am sorry. I see it was so wrong know and I just don't understand why I didn't see it then. This magic thingy seems an easy excuse and quick way out and I just don't know enough about magic to know if it's really even possible. I've already told Piers and the others I won't be hanging out with them they weren't happy about it but that's too bad. I don't want to be that kind of person anymore."

He couldn't help looking at his family like there were some new specimen of creature that had just been discovered, he was still kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop or maybe skillet to hit him in the head or shoulder to bring him back to reality. Taking a deep breath he starts, "Magic can do all kinds of things Dud including changing your personality without you being aware of it. There's spells so horrible they're called the unforgivable, one of them called the Imperious curse causes the person under it to do whatever the caster wants. I don't know if there's some that can be cast on objects to do the same thing but i guess it doesn't matter if I know it because we've been handed proof that it is possible. You all are proof of it. How you're acting now is totally different than anything you've ever shown me. You're acting like regular people now. It makes my lack of childhood all the more painful though because it didn't have to be that way. I wouldn't have even cared that you didn't treat me like Dudley if you'd only treated me like a normal person instead of scum or worse." Seeing them flinch and Petunia tear up again shoulders shaking, "I... I can forgive you, I do! I know magic and this is the bad side to it. IT can do so many horrible things when the wrong people get big ideas. I won't be able to forget everything but I do forgive you. You weren't in control of your actions it's going to be hard but it'll be ok in the end. I'm going to get Sirius to come here. He needs to know about this, but we have to do it in a way that the Headmaster doesn't know we know. It had to be him behind it all no one else had access to my location, the house because of the wards, or knowledge that you were my guardians." Seeing the confusion on their faces he explained, "the reason he put me here to start with was for special protection powered by my mother's blood.. Petunia was the closest relative I have to Mum so i had to live with her. You sealed the wards when you accepted me to live here. I bet it was probably very different in the beginning when you first took me in. The wards though prevent anyone with bad intentions from getting on the property. he also set up wards that prevent other magical people from getting close. Someone had to actually get in the house to place that statue that means him or someone he set the wards to exempt. I think it would have to have been him i don't think he'd trust just anyone early on with the knowledge of where I was or who I was with. So we need to keep everything we do from here on out from him and his agents. Sirius is furious at how he's neglected his duties to me at school. Did you know that because I'm an orphan and was raised in the Muggle world that he's suppose to give me estate lessons, and acquaint me with the government, the Wizengamot and all that and he's done NOTHING. Well i can't quite say nothing, he's taken a fair bit of money out of my trust but he hasn't taught me squat. when each house did career counseling I wasn't included. When each house went for their yearly exam I wasn't given one. I've been neglected at every turn, not just here but there too. What makes it worse though, is here you didn't have any expectations of me there they expect me to fight a big evil dark lord and save their sorry asses. I'm just a kid you know.. barely 15 and they've made it well known to me since I first went to that world at 11."

Dudley growled, "Fuck that! Let them fight their own battles don't that have anyone trained to catch criminals? They expect some untried kid to do it!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same as before, and OH disclaimer of sorts.. I don't Own Harry Potter.. that's JKRowling and her associates. I just borrow her characters rearrange redefine and have a little fun with them..

**Author's Note:**

> Grammar sucks I know, I am open to pointers if you want to inbox them to me.


End file.
